In Summer 2017 we began planning for our first interview series featuring UK cannabis activists.
In Summer 2017 we began planning for our first interview series featuring UK cannabis activists.Over the next few months, we researched, filmed and edited the interviews, preparing the series for launch in November 2017.
All three have now been released, and you can watch (and read) them below.
Quick Links: ISMOKE Interviews Series One
Episode 1 – Sy Dignam
Our first episode in this series features Sy Dignam from Hampshire Cannabis Community.
Sy is a prominent cannabis activist in the South of England. For the past few years we have met Sy at pretty much every event that we have attended, and always see him flying the Hampshire Cannabis Community banner loud and proud!
We sat down with Sy in this episode to see what drives him and what his aims and ideas are around the blossoming cannabis industry in the UK.
Tyler: Welcome to an episode of ISMOKE Interviews, with me, your host, Tyler Green. This series is designed to show you some people that are making moves in the UK cannabis scene, whether they are activists, club founders, or people doing important medical work, this series is designed so that we can interview them, give a bit of insight into what people are doing and how the UK industry is operating at the moment.
Today I have with me Sy (Dignam) from Hampshire Cannabis community. I first met Sy at a cannabis event well over a year ago now, and since then I think I have seen you every event.
Sy: Pretty much. We do bump into each other a lot!
Tyler: Today we’re gonna talk about Sy in this episode of ISMOKE Identities.
Tyler: Sy – we know you as a cannabis activist and campaigner. Was this always your goal or did you ever have any dreams outside the world of the cannabis before this took over?
Sy: No – I was a normal 9-5 family man before four years ago, before I got into this it, so it was never my dream of mine to do this
Tyler: So for the last four years you’ve been involved in the scene and in the industry
Sy: Yeah
Tyler: How long did it take you after getting involved to setup Hampshire Cannabis Community?
Sy: Erm, probably about a month. I found about about all the movement that was going around, then I met up with Clark French and this is where the cannabis went from me just smoking cannabis to actually you know believing in it and seeing the medical side and it changed my world.
He was running Hampshire at time and he’s an MS Patient. I got to know him and he was telling me about his journey with the cannabis and his MS. So it was amazing what I found out and you know, smoking cannabis for 30 years I didn’t know any of this, I was just you know normal stoner. But you know once I found this out, Clark gave me Hampshire to run so it went from there.
I went full-on long researching, I wanted to know everything about it – what different strains did, what different medical conditions they were good for… Like before, I never even could tell the difference between strains but when I start going into it and taking note of what I was smoking, there is such a difference between each strain, it’s amazing.
Tyler: I like to compare it with like a fine wine, or a coffee – for example, it’s like there’s this whole culture around Cannabis and the different varieties and strains that a lot of people don’t have much insight into because unfortunately, they just get what they’re given, which is a bag of weed at the end of the day, from their dealer. They don’t get more information than that, but when you actually take the step of learning and saying “let’s have a look at what I can learn about cannabis,” it is such a wide and varied and interesting world..
Sy: Oh It is.
Tyler: Outside the world of cannabis what is your favourite thing to do?
Sy: Probably play my guitar. Yeah.. I’m not very good at but I know a few chords so I can sit there and have a little strum.
Tyler: What sort of music do you tend to listen to?
Sy: Erm, usually Pink Floyd… A Bit of country… I like everything from classical to country, heavy metal, Pink Floyd and Kate Bush are probably my favourite.
Tyler: What’s the most fun thing to play on the guitar?
Sy: Erm.. Wish You Were Here By Pink Floyd, only because I can play it. [laughing] Some of it… Some of it.
Tyler: This is the bit where if we had a production team I’d cut to Sy doing a Pink Floyd solo on his guitar but unfortunately we don’t guys, so you’ll just gonna have to imagine that scenario…
(Sy Laughing)
Tyler: So Sy, you are a child of the 70’s, is that correct?
Sy: I am. Born in 73?.
Tyler: And how have you seen cannabis perception change since you’ve been consuming?
Sy: Big time. I mean, when I first started, weed you couldn’t really get hold of. If you did it was import or Thai – you know –all crushed in, bit of string around it – it was mainly solid, and you never knew what you were getting with solid, you don’t know what is made from.
But erm, yeah, over the years, it’s got massive, the cannabis market and the scene, it is absolutely huge compared to what it was back in the 70s. You had to know someone who knew someone to go and get it. These days it’s everywhere. It’s so easy to get hold of.
Tyler: When was the first time you smoked? Do you remember it?
Sy: Yeah I do, very vaguely. I was 15 years old, I was round a friend’s house. I was hanging around with people lot older than me. And there was four of us – he’s just bought an eighth of rocky and we were all sat in a circle and you know, had a couple of drags, passing it round.
By the third time it came around to me, I was asleep on the floor. I woke up and was sick everywhere, it really didn’t agree with me. Massive whitey!
ISMOKE Your Way
Tyler: Now this a section which I’m sure my viewers will enjoy. This is called ISMOKE your way. This is my chance to smoke with something that you enjoy as well as for you to share it with our viewers. Have you bought anything for us to enjoy today?
Sy: I have – because I’m a seventies child I’m old fashioned, I still like a joint, I can’t get away from the joint. When I’m not smoking the joint, I go for the pipe. I do usually have a tiny bit of tobacco in it which I won’t be doing today because I am trying to get away from it.
Tyler: Awesome – ISMOKE Pure!
Sy: Yeah, it’s got to be done.
Tyler: So, Sy, tell us about the weed that we have here today.
Sy: All right, I’ve brought with me these two here. Both grown organically, so no nutrients at all. This one’s early skunk – very small buds, that’s the only thing with the organic grows – not a lot of yield on it, but it’s clean. And some White Widow, which is really nice.
Tyler: Looks great – I’m going to have a sniff of this – let’s start with the Early Skunk. Mmmm… Getting like sweet, sweet notes. It’s interesting because with skunk, what I expect is that skunk number 1 pungency when you break it open – I’m wondering when we break these open how it’s gonna smell.
Sy: They do smell a lot different when they’re ground.
Tyler: Mate – that pungency. It’s there now, it’s it. If you didn’t like weed then you’d get offended with that smell.
[smoking]
Tyler: I like small glass pipes, because you seem to get quite a good flavour because it’s [the smoke] not got like a lot to travel. You just have to be careful it doesn’t get too hot.
Tyler: What was the seed company?
Sy: Seedsman.
Tyler I’ll look it up, and I’ll probably put it about here [Early Pearl X Skunk No.1] on the screen, so you guys know what it is… That’s nice, actually – one hit in, and I’m already getting that nice first hit of the day feeling. [Laughs]
Nice, so, ISMOKE Your Way – We’ve tried out Sy’s glass pipe. I’ve now got a joint which we are going to smoke while we continue our questions – and would you like to do the honours?
Sy: Really the law is you rolled it, you light it…
Tyler: That is true, but you are my guest, so, [looks at camera] breaking the law.
[both laugh]
Tyler: So Sy, I’ve seen you walking your dogs in fields of green. I also know that you live right next to a beach, you must be spoilt for choice of smoking spots in your area -where’s your favourite?
Sy: Probably where I walk with the dogs. It’s a big field and then you’ve got tall cliffs. It’s lovely, when it’s quiet. I’m about six miles from the beach, so I don’t go down there very often – usually when holding an event. I like the field, I like the countryside.
Tyler: Have you ever gone across to the Isle of Wight
Sy: Erm.. I have, not for a few years. Yeah, there’s not a lot over there.
Tyler: I hear that there’s a bit of a canna community over there – I don’t know much about it…
Sy: There is an Isle of Wight Cannabis Club – I think they’re part of the UKCSC. I don’t know how active they are, but I have spoken to the people that run it a few times.
Tyler: I wonder what the prices would be like on the Isle of Wight compared to the UK mainland?
Sy: You’d think they’d be probably higher, wouldn’t you, because it is an island.
Tyler: Yeah but it depends if people are growing on the island.
Sy: Yeah, they do – I know someone who does, so yeah they do.
Tyler: Part of what you do with Hampshire cannabis community involves the street walks. Can you take us through that, and what you are trying to achieve by doing these street walks?
Sy: We’ve got a little street team. We just go out in the town centre, put the banner up, wave the flag, hand some leaflets out. We don’t go out there to push our views onto anyone but we get a lot of people coming to us that are actually interested and want to find out more about the medical side of it – we’re there to give information to get this bad stigma off cannabis and to try and change a few people’s views on it.=
Tyler: Let’s dispel some propaganda: What is the most wrong thing someone has ever tried to tell you about the cannabis?
Sy: That it causes psychosis, that’s the worst one. That it kills brain cells – it’s the mental aspect of it. “It’ll fry your brain”
Tyler: It’s a hangover of the same propaganda that they were using in America in the 30’s and 40’s isn’t it.
Sy: Yeah – Nothing’s changed, and you’d think that after that many years 60, 70 years that people would have seen the truth in it – it’ll get there, it’s got to.
Tyler: We have to keep dispelling this propaganda.
Sy: Now we have an argument for anything anyone can bring up.
Tyler: And we’ve got the medicals studies to back it up as well.
Sy: That’s right, yeah. It’s so hypocritical. We all know that GW pharmaceutical sell Sativex which is 100% cannabis-based medicine, and then they’re like “no, that doesn’t happen really”
Tyler: Inflated Prices
Sy: There’s no medical values.. But there is, because you’re selling it! I don’t get it.
Cottonmouth Quenches
Tyler: So this bit’s just for a bit of fun – to find more about you, and to do something quite British. It’s called the cottonmouth quencher.
Sy: Okay.
Tyler: So I’ve got us a cup of tea here. After the joint and the pipe, I think it’s a good idea to quench our thirst.
Sy: Yeah it’s definitely a needed thing when you’re smoking..
Tyler: Lovely… Still got half the joint here!
[Laughs]
Sy: I’ll be crawling out of this interview I think!
Ty: We haven’t even hit the bong yet
Sy: I know [both laughing]
Tyler: So, do you like cups of tea?
Sy: I love tea. Also coffee, but I’m a snob with coffee. I only like posh coffee, I don’t like any instant. But my normal drink is tea.
Tyler: [Heavy Sigh] Now that we’re in the zone and we’ve relaxed a little – We’ve got two more strains to review, this was just the first strain.
We get to get number two in the bong. Do you want to try the Dogwalker OG?
Sy: Yeah, go on then.
Tyler: It’s gonna be featuring in a review soon – it’s like a very gassy stardawg.
Sy: It’s dense as well
Tyler: Really dense. I overuse the term pungency on the channel but the weed that I smoke is so f*****g pungent that there’s just no other word for it!
Sy: That’s like “I only smoke good weed”
[Both laughing]
Tyler: Are you a bong man Sy?
Sy: Occasionally. Not very often
Tyler: When was the last bong that you did?
Sy: About three days ago.
Tyler: Oh nice, so quite recently then.
Sy: Yeah – I knew I was coming here, so warming myself up, getting myself ready.
Tyler: So I’ll kick things off with the Dogwalker OG, and you can have a bong after if you want?
Sy: Yeah, go for it.
Tyler: Nice – See you on the other side guys, cheers.
[Smoking]
Tyler: It’s such a nice strain – it hasn’t got the acridity of like when you smoke shit weed in a bong, it tastes horrible – you start tasting it when you’re inhaling. You don’t get that with this, it’s quite smooth on the inhale. But what you do get: it’s got so many trichomes that sort of makes you feel like you’ve done a big dab.
Sy: Do you get that stinging feeling in your nose?
Tyler: Sort of – a little bit, but it not like… it’s just making me squint a little.
So Sy has the Dogwalker OG and is about to consume it through the Chongz Widow Maker.
Tyler: That was an interesting technique man, that was like a rasta technique.
Sy: I have to. I haven’t got the lungs to do it in one, so I have to sort of breathe it in, let a bit out of my nose and get my breath back.
Tyler: That’s awesome. I’ve never tried that. How did you find it?
Sy: That’s lovely – I’m not coughing, which says a lot. I normally cough after a bong, but it was smooth, and I can feel it sort of…
Tyler: Washing over?
Sy: Yeah.
Tyler: Something I wanted to ask you – are jaffa cakes a cake, or a biscuit?
Erm.. does anyone know the answer that? I’d say biscuit.
[Both laughing]
Tyler: I think that they’re cakes…
Sy: Are they? Well you say Jaffa Cakes
Tyler: Yeah, I think that they proved it – I just wanted to ask you, because I thought it was a funny thing to ask, so thanks for answering.
The cottonmouth is quenched – or perhaps it will come back? We’ve got the tea at least to deal with it.
Section 3
Tyler: Your facebook profile photo features a lot bud.
Sy: It does
Tyler: Tell us about that – what’s the story behind that?
Sy: That was a trip to Morocco. Myself and two friends. We got speaking to somebody on facebook and he said come over, so we went over there – we flew into the wrong part of Morocco so we had to jump on a train and travel ten hours across Morocco. It made the trip, actually, it was amazing.
We’ve got up there and we ended up with somebody with so many acres of weed. We stood on the top of this mountain and every mountain you can see was just full of weed. It was scary but such an experience and that weed in the photo was just on top of the roof drying out, just piles and piles of it – so we had to get a photo!
Tyler: Is that the most weed that you have ever been around?
Sy: Yeah it is. Definitely. I mean driving down the road and there was just weed growing on the side of the road – nothing was hidden. It was just.. yeah, I’ve never seen plants like it
Tyler: So this was sort of a weed pilgrimage?
Sy: Yeah it was – we didn’t plan anything. We just got a flight and went and done it. But it was amazing you know for a stoner holiday, for a cannabis experience it was the best. It’s made me want to just go out now and try other parts of the world.
Tyler: There must have been some sketchy parts too, or was it all roses?
Sy: No it wasn’t – I mean they’ve all got dark, short hair over there and I’ve got like long blonde hair – and I was getting some real funny looks. We were in this little village in Ketama – that’s like the middle of the Rift mountains. And we were sat in this car and everyone was just looking like me – I was like “get us out of here!
Tyler: Is that when you are travelling down to the place?
Sy: Yeah yeah yeah. Because the bloke picked us up, but he went to the shop and left us in the car.
Tyler: I was watching on Facebook live I think it was John, he had a big joint – and I remember thinking gosh, I wouldn’t want to be caught out there!
Sy: No… It looked a bit dodgy on the video, but we were sort of out of the way.
Tyler: Oh ok, so there weren’t going to be police bowling past like..
Sy: No – we didn’t walk in the town centre with a big spliff [saying] “we’re here – Hampshire canna!”
Tyler: In a legal and regulated market, what would be your choice of profession and why?
Sy: I have thought about this. If It was actually what would I do? I mean at the moment I’m an activist and that is my life but it was legal I really don’t know whether I’d want to work in a dispensary or.. I don’t know the answer to that. I know I would love to grow it and if I could grow it, then I could play with strains, make my own seeds and see where it went from there, whether I could go down the medical route .. It would open so many options for me, if it was legal.
Tyler: So basically you’d want to be in the cannabis industry, but you can’t pick exactly where.
Sy: Yeah – I mean, there would be so many jobs available, int there? You wouldn’t know until it’s actually happened.
Tyler: It’s going to be so good when the law changes and people have the option to actually fully explore their entrepreneurial ideas, we’re losing out because all of the good ideas are happening in the US already!
Sy: They are
Tyler: And they’ll just bring big canna business to the UK
Sy: I think that’s why people are getting ready now, aren’t they.. You know – there are a lot of companies out there that are getting these sort of small companies going, even it is just stalls at events. They’re still getting ready for that.
Tyler: What would you say your top three cannabis strains are and why?
Sy: Well I like anything Indica, so, ones I’ve smoked recently: Lavender – is very nice. White Widow, lovely especially organically grown – it is a really nice smoke. But I’d say my favourite, especially this year, is CBD Critical. It’s not very high in THC and it’s such a mellow buzz, but you can tell the difference with the CBD in it. So I like.. I’m going down that route of having a bit of CBD in my weed, I do like it.
Tyler: It was great trying that. That was a really nice strain – I understand why that would be in your top, because it was a different experience.
Sy: It’s the sort of strain that I would like to always have some of. I wouldn’t smoke it probably all the time, but it’s nice to always go back to it.
Tyler: What age do you think it’s acceptable to start smoking weed?
Sy: Erm.. I’d say 18. The old man sort of part of me would say 21.. but no, 18. You’re an adult at 18 in the eyes of society, so yeah, it’s your choice.
Tyler: You have been an activist for a number of years now, what advice would you have to give to people that maybe interested in joining the cannabis community, getting more involved, or want to be able to help the cannabis legalisation movement?
Sy: There’s quite a few different ways you can get involved. Following clubs on Facebook to see what they’re up to. Get some leaflets – on the street, hand them out to people, you’re an activist. Talk to everyone you see – talk to them about cannabis. Get people’s reactions.
Tyler: Get out of your comfort zone?
Sy: Yeah, definitely
Tyler: And talk to people – more than half of the country want to legalise cannabis. They don’t give us the choice because they know that we would vote to legalise it.
Sy: Yeah. A lot of people are just too scared to stand up and say yeah I do, I want it legal as well.
Tyler: But behind closed doors, we know that a lot people from all walks of life use cannabis
Sy: Oh they do.
Tyler: And we need to get it legalised so that people don’t feel that they need to do it in secret.
Sy: Yeah. There’s quite a few jobs out there with random drug tests. Cannabis should not be on that list!
Quickfire Round
Tyler: So Sy, last up, we have a quickfire round, this is just a bit of fun.
Sy: Ok
Tyler: Don’t worry about any of your answers, we are just gonna go with the first thing and see what comes out of it, yeah?
Tyler: Weed, hash or extract?
Sy: Weed
Tyler: Living room, pub, bar or club?
Sy: Living Room
Tyler: Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
Sy: Too cold.
Tyler: Would you rather get stranded on a desert island or abducted by aliens?
Sy: Stranded on a desert island.
Tyler: Would you prefer it to be Christmas every day or never?
Sy: Never. That makes me sound like a humbug, but Christmas costs me a fortune, man!
Tyler: What era of time would you most want to travel back to?
Sy: The 80’s, I like the 80’s.
Tyler: What’s the best month of the year?
Sy: August – my birthday.
Section 5
Tyler: We’ve got the White Widow to try, just before we tie up the episode. This bud is beefy.. That’s organic as well, so it’s the genetics, isn’t it?
Sy: It hasn’t been cured.
Tyler: It hasn’t been cured yet?
Sy: No. It’s dried properly but..
Tyler: Needs a bit longer on the curing.
Sy: Yeah.
Tyler: It smells good… [grinding] Oh, that smells bloody lovely mate!
Sy: Oh, that is nice
Tyler: Yeah I’m really impressed with the smell of that. That is better than the White Widow I reviewed.
Sy: Really?
Tyler: Yeah. Definitely. Definitely.
Sy: So that’s what organic does
[Sy hits bong]
Tyler: Nice. How was it?
Sy: Nice. Yeah it was smooth – no tickle on the back of my throat at all.
Tyler: Okay, so I’m going to consume some of the White Widow Organic – looking forward to this. And I will see you on the other side guys, cheers!
[Tyler Hits Bong]
Tyler: Wow. That was a big one.
Sy: Yeah that was. I didn’t wanna say anything but.. [laughs]
Tyler: Oh my gosh. That was erm, that was very flavourful. Yeah that was nice. That was really nice.
So that has been an episode of ISMOKE interviews featuring Sy Dignam from Hampshire Cannabis Community.
Sy: Thanks for having me.
Tyler: It has been an absolute pleasure mate, really enjoyed this and it has been good to get an insight into what you like, what you’re doing, what your ideas are. And yeah, it’s been really fun man, consuming these strains.
Sy: Yeah, it’s been great.
Tyler: Thanks for coming, Sy. This is your time to share any information you want with our audience if you’ve got a message or you wanna say anything at all; look at the camera and feel free…
Sy: I’d just like to plug our memberships – if you go on to our website which is www.hampshirecanna.co.uk and go to our shop you can get a membership. Now with a membership you can get access to our forum which is on the website on the members area. And we also have a closed group on facebook which you can join. There’s also discounts for various local shops. That’s for a life membership, so really it’s just a bit of support for us to help us keep getting funds for buying leaflets and stuff like that.
So yeah, go to the website and join us – Hampshire Canna.
Tyler: Join the movement – you don’t have to be from Hampshire.
Sy: No you don’t. No, just join us. We’ll send you little card out with a leaflet. And you get to, you know, interact with other members. It’s quite a safe little room because we know everyone.
Tyler: If you enjoyed this video, head over to our Patreon page and check out how you can support the channel yourself – that’s www.patreon.com/ismoke.
We will be back very soon we another episode of ISMOKE interviews. That’s it from us guys – as always, thanks for watching and keep toking.
You can also read the transcript for episode 1 featuring Sy Dignam here
Episode 2 – Simpa Carter
Our second episode in the series features Simpa Carter, based in Durham.
Simpa is both the Founder and the Chairman of Durham City Cannabis Club and also writes a weekly column for ISMOKE Magazine.
We first met Simpa at Green Pride in 2016, and since then have been working together to promote cannabis awareness across the UK. In this episode, we wanted to give you an insight into the man behind Durham City Cannabis Club, Psy4Psy and others!
Tyler: Welcome to an episode of ISMOKE Interviews with me your host, Tyler Green. This is a series designed for you to get to know some people within the UK cannabis community a bit better.
I have with me Simpa Carter, who is the chairman and founder of Durham City Cannabis Club. He is somebody that I have been in correspondence with for a while, after first meeting at an event over a year ago. He is also somebody that does the occasional article – well, a weekly article for ISMOKE Magazine.
Join me and Simpa for this episode of ISMOKE Interviews…
[Intro]
Tyler: What made you get involved in the cannabis activism scene?
Simpa: Well, I’ve always been active, but it was primarily Product Earth last year. A mate of mine had a spare ticket, I thought go on then – I couldn’t imagine what a weed expo would be like in the UK. And man, were my eyes opened.
And within the first few hours I had this galvanised feeling inside that I was going to start or be part of a club or be part of the community in some which way. Everything I’ve done since has been to try and chase that dream.
Tyler: We’ve seen you launch your own set of cannabis events, which started as sort of a one-off, but then actually ended up being monthly, is that correct?
Simpa: Yeah – we worked with a few of the other local clubs and we did the Durham 420 event. And then from there, given the public’s response, I just thought why not do one every month; same site, same sort of deal.
And we did 4 – our last one was last weekend. I mean, very successful. The peak of which I think, one of the events, maybe June, with maybe 350-400 people.
And I call them protestivals. So as well as a celebration of the plant, and all that cannabis can be, but also getting people together en masse to consume, a form of civil disobedience to show that look, 3-400 people can smoke cannabis on a sunny afternoon, can have fun and it can be no issue – better than that, we actually leave the grounds cleaner than when we turn up. We liaise with the council’s green team for them to come and clean. So we’re actually saving the council money as well as showing them the more positive sides of cannabis consumption.
Tyler: What made you take the step from just being an activist to setting up your own events, like what made you want to be an event organiser, rather than being someone who just attends these things?
Simpa: I’ve got a lot of passion for this. So I wanted to make sure that I could get out 100% of my energies and my effort, and I figured that the best way to do that was by hosting these events under my own auspice, so that I control what was going on and it goes in the direction which I was hoping for it to – which is for it to maximise the publicity around the events, and to show that the consumption of cannabis like I say is not to the detriment of the individual or society.
Tyler: You’re not only a founder of Durham City Cannabis Club, but you’ve also founded Psy 4 Psy, which has actually led to you being on the television on the BBC – can you tell us more about that?
Simpa: I’m very much against all prohibition in all forms because it is to the detriment to the individual and society. Drugs can be useful to individuals. And it is through my own experiences with micro-dosing LSD that I decided to start PSY4PSY, which is psychedelics for psychiatry. Which is to basically try and show people that these are tools, from MDMA, especially psilocybin from mushrooms. There’s now studies being done all around the country and all around the world that show that these have unbelievable medicinal effects.
I’m evolving it going forward – hopefully working more with the Psychedelics society in the UK and trying to put on more events. I mean, I’m looking to actually rent a venue which will allow us to do film nights for the DCCC (Durham City Cannabis Club), so we’ll have people like Miles down, doing a Rose by Any Other Name, hopefully we can get Jason Reed up from LEAP to do Culture High. And then using the same venue to then have psychedelic nights as well, so like show screenings and education nights and just connecting the community with people who know what they’re talking about.
Tyler: How do you get time to run Durham City Cannabis Club and do all of this stuff?
Simpa: Being an activist has actually given me more confidence and more control back over my life, so actually by doing it, it’s healing me in a great sense, and it’s connecting me in my community in a way. Before I was sort of demonised and ostracised because of my views on drugs and my views on cannabis and what-like. But now I’m more welcomed into the community.
Section 2: ISMOKE Your Way
Tyler: Now a part which I know my viewers are going to enjoy, this is called ISMOKE Your Way – so this is my chance to smoke in a way that you like smoking. Have you brought anything for us to enjoy today?
Simpa: I have – as our previous viewers will have seen, I’m normally hitting your bong, so I’ve brought down some spliffs!
Tyler: Joints – I hope?!
Simpa: Sorry – Joints
[Tyler Laughing]
Simpa: I brought this with some hash, some critical 2.0 and some girl scout cookies just to indulge in.
Tyler: Do you want to spark it up?
[Simpa Lights joint]
Simpa: Mmm..
Tyler: That looks like a nice size joint as well for us to enjoy.
Simpa: It’s a spherical Joint.
Tyler: Nice…
And my viewers are gonna love this, because I’m always getting told that I don’t smoke enough joints on the table, so yeah..
Simpa: Happy to see it
Tyler: Charlie, if you’re watching mate – I do read ‘em.
Oh mate, that tastes lovely – burning nice and pure and yeah, nice white ash in it as well. I can barely taste the hash, did you say there was some hash in there?
Simpa: Yeah, its’ one of my mate’s scissor hash so it’ll be in and around there somewhere
Tyler: He didn’t say scissor hash! Like… We’re trying to get a film done here!
[Laughing]
Tyler: We met up out in Barcelona earlier this year, and we had a great time. What strain did you enjoy out there the most?
Simpa: I can’t remember what it’s called now.. was it Marley’s Collie?
Tyler: Yeah, from the Remedy!
Simpa: From Remedy, yeah. Cos the smell of it, the look of it – literally if I look back to the time that we were there, it’s a standout strain.
Tyler: Where is on your dream list of holiday destinations and why?
Simpa: Man.. Erm… I wanna get out to British Colombia. Canadians have been doing some amazing things with strains for decades. Some of the best strains in the world have come from that side of Canada.
California, obviously. If I’m running the club, the same reason I’m going out to Barcelona at the end of the year is actually to meet up with some admins who run clubs themselves – is to try and figure out how to make a workable model in the UK and what I think would best work for Durham, given our location and given our police forces’ unique position.
Tyler: So you think you next – or your ideal – travel destination would be based around work, because you’d use it for an opportunity, you wouldn’t just sack everything off and fly out to Jamaica?
Simpa: I’ve been long-term unemployed because of my mental health and before I found this, I didn’t have much purpose in my life really. And now I’ve found its like play, you know what I mean? Some days I’ll sit and I’m writing for like 12 hours a day.
And ultimately all I want is the normalisation of cannabis. I want to wake up and not feel like a criminal. I want to be able to say when somebody asks “what you doing?” that I’m off for a smoke like I’m going for a pint.
Tyler: In your opinion, what country has the best weed?
Simpa: Oooh… You can’t ask that on video!
Tyler: I’ve got to, this is it – I’m putting you on the spot now, we’ve had a smoke, it’s time!
Simpa: Well, I haven’t tried any of the American weed. I’ve had a go of some Canadian Genetics which I thoughts was very impressive. But ultimately, I’m biased. It’s got to be the UK at the minute, you know what I mean? What we’re doing is we’re gathering strains from around the world and growing them, home-growing them in the UK. And I think the love and tenderness that we’re putting into it compared to the industrial grows around the world means that it’s more of a cottage industry and we’re…you know what I mean? We’re loving our weed strains. We’re now getting cannaisseurs popping up all other the place, whereas before people would just smoke weed. Now they want to know what it is, what it’ll do and what the terpene profile is, you know what I mean? It’s Britain, it’s got to be Britain!
Tyler: Let’s continue the smoking, so I have the Weed-Star Wasabi Line bong here. I’m going to load up some weed into the Weed-Star Wasabi Line Bong. Is this…Is this mine? Is this from this morning?
Simpa: It’s not from me…
Tyler: [laughs] Do you want to smoke it?
Simpa: Yeah, let’s see what it is. See if we can guess what it is, guess the strain!
Tyler: We’re going to work out what it is
[Simpa Smokes]
Simpa: Quite fruity.
Tyler: Can you work it out?
Simpa: I’m not sure what that is…
[more smoking]
Simpa: Nah
Tyler: I was having a think while you were doing it, and I think that it is probably Early Skunk. That’s what I think it is. So I’ve never tried Early Skunk before [this week], it’s going to be getting the review treatment. But I think I remember having a cheeky bong of it this morning.
Simpa: That’s Girl Scout Cookies
Tyler: So that smells lovely. Is this UK-grown?
Simpa: Yeah – that’s from Durham
Tyler: Nice. Yeah – that’s smelling really nice actually.
Simpa: It could do with a bit of a clean-up, the trim but..
Tyler: Looks better than some of the trim jobs I’ve seen recently! What’s the other one?
Simpa: Critical 2.0
Tyler: Critical 2.0!
Simpa: Critical 1.0 was very fruity anyway, but that is just… it’s a next level.
Tyler: That smells good…
Simpa: Yeah – that’s that critical 2.0
Tyler: Critical!
Through the Yoda Bowl, save a little bit for you in there as well.. You left a little bit of your-er-
Simpa: Mystery weed
Tyler: Anyway, gonna hit this through the Yoda Weed-start wasabi. Simpa’s got a joint, I’m already feeling good, so I’ll see you on the other side, guys. Cheers!
[Smoking]
Simpa: Ooh, that is a creamy hit
Tyler: Gosh
[laughing + coughing]
Tyler: Wow, that was a creamy hit.
Simpa: It’s not that long cured, but it’s just so smooth, so well-flushed – it gives it that big, that big hit, do you know what I mean?
Section 3: Cottonmouth Quenchers
Tyler: So, this is a great bit Simpa that I love doing, especially after we’ve been smoking, and it is called cottonmouth quenchers.
[Simpa Laughing]
Tyler: We have brewed some tea, and in a very British way we are now going to enjoy our tea with our smoke, because I think that that is important. I’ve got here my Mr. Scruff Mug, absolute legend.
Simpa: Big up High End Edibles.
[drinking tea]
Tyler: How do you like your tea Simpa?
Simpa: Usually I’d say white, but obviously hemp milk now is what I use. It’s got omega 3, 6 and 9 in. It’s got amino acids, good for the brain, and it’s tasty. Hemp milk was.. I mean, cannabis I’ve said is our saviour many times, in the whole Jack Herer spirit. I think that yeah, it’s a viable, good alternative.
Tyler: Now that you are a vegan, what is the strangest thing that you now eat that you might not have eaten before your veganism?
Simpa: It’s going to sound stupid, but tomatoes. I used to hate tomatoes, like loved tomato sauce, like baked beans, but now I’ll put tomatoes on everything, I really quite enjoy it.
Because it’s forced me to broaden my horizons, whereas before I’d kind of go – fast food, I’ll have that, and I’ll have that – you just go for your 5 or 6 meals that you eat in about 20 different establishments. Whereas now I sort of go – you get what you’re given in some places, and others you places you have more choice, and you just – I don’t know, it’s really widened my palette.
Tyler: What has been a personal highlight for you from your own events series?
Simpa: June Bloom, because I think it encapsulated everything I was trying to do this year. We had like Callie and Simon Blackwell and Deryn. And we had Jeff Ditchfield as well, came over. We had one of the larger crowds, beautiful weather. For that day it felt like everything just worked perfectly and that’s kind of been what I’ve been chasing with the other events, like I say it encapsulated everything that I want from the community really, the community that I’m trying to create of people who have access via these events, and that did it for me.
Tyler: And how many events had you ran up until that point?
Simpa: That was the third event that we ran.
Tyler: You’ve basically set your formula up and within your third event, second solo, you’ve basically got things right. That’s inspiring mate! Have there been many challenges running these public events? What has public perception in Durham, for example been to your events, members of the public walking past etc?
[Simpa Smoking]
Simpa: Critical is nice. Your bong kind of farts when it pulls
Tyler: it does!
Simpa: When it pulls the air through
Tyler: When you fill it up and it sort of goes *bubbling sound effect*
Simpa: Public perception… The majority good. I would say passers-by that have come and spoken to us, the first event, we had a bunch of cyclists come over. And they’d heard something about hemp being nutritious. So I ran through some facts with them.
We’ve then had sort of elderly people coming, just sort of curious as to what was going on, and then well they’ve just sort of… they’ve walked away in disbelief, but humorously, you know what I mean?
And then we’ve had the generic sort of young people – I say young people – like 18-mid-20’s. That have then used the areas socially, that have then turned up on a Saturday anyway, and been a bit taken aback by what we are doing. But then they’ve been educated, they’ve had an opportunity to shop at the stalls and to meet their community.
I’d say from the majority, it’s been beneficial, the public and the place that we’re doing it – it’s a place that I’ve come to use the colloquial term “hemp gardens” – that’s the area that we’re trying to take back as a community action group.
Through austerity, the council now allows for certain projects to be taken out of their control to save money. So instead of them paying for the upkeep what we’re proposing to do is take the gardens under Durham City Cannabis Club’s control with other community action groups in the area and then set up a vegetable patch for areas as well, and basically allotments on one side- and then all that food we can then donate to the local food charities and the food banks.
And then on the other areas, we can use soil amnesty from the grows, and sticks and stems amnesties to then build hempcrete benches. We can then fundraise to build bins and such. There’s a kid’s facility next door that has disappeared, that we want to fundraise for. There’s a toilet block at the end that we want to use hempcrete technology to replace.
Section 4 – Interview Part 2
Tyler: What’s next, what’s the other one? Girl Scout?
Simpa: Girl Scout Cookies
Tyler: is that this one?
Simpa: Yep
Tyler: So, this Girl Scout actually, erm… yeah. Looks quite different to the imported girl scout that you might see.
Simpa: That’s an auto from Fastbuds. They’re basically doing all of the American and Canadian strains, but they’re making them autos. But as you can tell the quality difference is not..
Tyler: What’s your opinion on auto-strains, just while I roll this up?
Simpa: Well-grown, there’s not much of a difference real- well, there is the differences obviously. But a well-grown auto beats a poorly grown pheno, do you know what I mean?
The auto grows, people do them for different reasons, I mean it’s space, size, timing
Tyler: Ease
Simpa: Yeah – and like I say, well-grown
[nod of approval]
Tyler: And smelling this mate, it’s got the earthy notes, the sweet earthy cookie note that you get from the Girl Scout. I’ve just reviewed Platinum Cookies recently on the channel, and that’s just a phenotype of Girl Scout cookies.
[fade]
Tyler: So, you work with people outside of the cannabis community, as well as within – for example you had Mike Barnes at your most recent event and the Durham 420 event as well. How is it, getting out of your comfort zone to work with everyday people that maybe aren’t cannabis consumers?
Simpa: I think It’s entirely necessary to, as Jeff pointed out to me at June Bloom, to stop preaching to the converted. And that is the comfortable thing, to then sit around a load of us in a room and regurgitate facts to each other. But this doesn’t further the dialogue, it doesn’t allow us to actually get what we want which is ultimately the end of prohibition.
And Mike Barnes, for example, was brilliant. Bringing it back to 420, there was a few things that I really agreed with, and a few that I sort of disagreed with. And what we did at All out August, we had a debate platform. So it was myself, Trev Coleman and Mike Barnes, and we had a 3-way debate. And it’s through doing this that we’ll normalise it. I mean, he is of the Academic community, he is of the establishment, and it is ultimately the establishment that are denying us the access.
I mean ultimately yeah, we can all have access to cannabis because we do. But what I want is the end of criminality, I want the end of the stigma, I want to just be a person, do you know what I mean?
Tyler: Completely understand man, and I’m so with you on this, and it’s great to have this chat.
I want to know from you, Simpa – what are your Top 3 cannabis strains?
Simpa: Oh..It’s controversial, but as viewers of your previous videos will know, well-cured cheese. The blue terpene – so blue cheese, whatever it is, I cant remember the name of what causes the blues.. Is anaclitic, so that really helps me in my day to day life.
It’s a new one on me this year, but wow I enjoy it – Alaskan Thunder Fuck
Tyler: Alaskan Thunder Fuck?
Simpa: I can sit and write for about 14 hours with a couple of joints of that.
And that one for one CBD/THC stress killer, produced by Royal Queen Seeds. That for me is medicine, you know what I mean? That’s what’s stabilised my life I would say, most.
Tyler: Blue Cheese, Alaskan Thunder Fuck and CBD Stress Killer are Simpa Carter’s favourite strains – you heard it here first… EXCLUSIVE!
Simpa: You need a Klaxxon
Tyler [Laughing] *Makes Klaxxon Sound*
Quickfire Round
Tyler: That’s it now for like the main questions, right, so now we’re going to go into the quickfire round, and this is something that I hope my viewers are going to enjoy, just like the first thing that comes to mind now that you are nicely baked, we’re going to talk about stuff…
And er, I don’t even know if it’s going to make sense at this point, but we’re just gonna roll with it!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Simpa: Oh er.. Matches… [pauses] Seeds, weed seeds, erm.. [long pause] Some edibles? I don’t know..thinking I’d bring food because you’d need it
Tyler: First thing that comes to mind Simpa!
Simpa: Seeds, food, I don’t know ah.. thought too hard
Tyler: Seeds, food and…
Simpa: Food, seeds.
Tyler: Food, seeds and some matches for some reason, rather than like a lighter, or like a firestick?
Simpa: nah, I thought that a lighter would run out, I don’t know why I didn’t think matches would run out
Tyler: Stephen Fry, or Stephen Hawking?
Simpa: Stephen Fry because I could get high with him.
Tyler: Who’s your favourite film director?
Simpa: The dude that did …Sam Raining? Did American Beauty.
Tyler: What is the best single day or date in the year?
Simpa: Oh..420?! [laughs]
Tyler: Star Wars or Star Trek?
Simpa: Star Trek
Tyler: Haze or Kush
Simpa: Kush, because I sleep a lot.
Tyler: Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
Simpa: Too cold, because then you can get warm. When you’re too hot you can’t take enough clothes off, I hate that.
Tyler: What is the best month of the year?
Simpa: July, because it’s got my birthday in!
Tyler: What’s the worst strain you’ve smoked?
Simpa: Erm… I don’t know what it was, but it was fucking, they called it MDF. Somebody from the North had grown fuck loads of shit weed, had to cut it early and put it in blenders and it came in bricks. And you broke it off. And for months people were smoking it, it was MDF, that was the worst shit in the world!
Tyler: Well, on that note, can you say your favourite tongue twister?
Simpa: I don’t even know if I’ve got a favourite tongue twister.
Tyler: Can you say a tongue twister?
Simpa: If you give me one.
Tyler: Erm…Oh you’re throwing it back to me, like straight away!
[both laugh]
Tyler: Just do likeshe sells sea shells on the sea shore.
Simpa: She sells she sells on the she shore
Tyler: No you didn’t do it
Simpa: She sells. Sea. shells. On the. Sea shore.
Tyler: That’s better…ok!
Simpa: it’s like a sobriety test
[laughing]
Tyler: Now testing our sobriety!
[Fade]
Tyler: It has been an absolute pleasure having you here, Simpa. We’re always talking about projects that we want to do, and this is something that I’ve had in mind for a long time, is giving our fans some insight into you, and the North and you know, like the cannabis movement. Because there’s a lot more to it than people see, just from the social media output, and even the events, you know? There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
So hopefully, by doing this, I’ve given you guys a bit of insight into Simpa that you’re not going to get anywhere else.
I’ve enjoyed it, have you enjoyed it?
Simpa: I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly.
Tyler: I’m very baked, what have we smoked?
Simpa: Girl Scout Cookies
Tyler: Girl Scout Cookies
Simpa: Critical 2.0
Tyler: Critical 2.0
Simpa: Erm, some scissor hash
Tyler: We’ve smoked some mystery weed… My question for you now – what would you like? Do you want to smoke some Chemdawg, or do you want to smoke some super silver haze?
Simpa: Super Silver Haze, because I think I’m going to need it, the day is still young…
Tyler: Smells like Amsterdam!
Simpa: [looking at hemp wick] I wish someone would make this without beeswax.
Tyler: Can you not have like nice beeswax? Is it not nice from them to have like a hive sorted out for them?
Simpa: It’s not like a general rule, but for me I wouldn’t use it, do you know what I mean? I’m using it here because it’s already been bought, do you know what I mean?
Tyler: Yeah! So, this is Simpa’s hit on the Super Silver Haze
[Simpa Smoking]
Tyler: I think it’s smooth, that one.
Simpa: Very much so…
Tyler: In terms of your cannabis use, would you class yourself as a medical or a recreational consumer, or something else?
Simpa: Very much started as a recreational user. Erm, then managed to realise through stopping cannabis intermittently that that was actually doing me a lot more good than it was harm, that it was other things that were doing harm. Then to remove the other harmful substances, I’m left with just sort of the benefits of cannabis. So now I very much consider myself a medical user. I utilise it for BPD and PTSD. And it is, it’s been shown now through evidence around the world, through various studies, the proven application for these conditions, so I can’t see why it’s not been approved.
Tyler: This is your chance to talk to our fans, and to share – if you’ve got anything you want to plug, now’s your chance to say it.
Simpa: All I wanna do is just implore, and beg basically, people to just get more active in the community. Do anything and everything you can to galvanise others to come out. This is why I hosted my events, to then… each event saw more and more people because each of the people that arrived at previous events brought their friends who came at the next event. And this is how we grow not just the community, but the resistance to a shameful and antiquated law that desperately needs changing. And it is only by the action of the majority that we will do this. The majority of members of parliament want this. The only people who don’t are the tabloids and the oligarchs that control this country, and it is through literally standing up and showing them the numbers, the sheer numbers, there are millions of us that consume cannabis, that enjoy it. And the many that need it, and in a time of austerity desperately need the cash crop of cannabis. The industrial applications alone would get us off our knees, would make us independent as a nation. We need this.
Tyler: Where can our viewers find you online?
Simpa: Facebook, we’re www.facebook.com/durhamcitycannaclub, we’re on instagram @durhamcityCC, we’re on twitter @DurhamCity_CC. We’re building the website actually at the minute – I saw our designer the other day – we’re at www.durhamcitycc.co.uk – that should be up and running within the next couple of weeks.
We’re opening a shop, a vlog, going to start the Vlogging as well. And that will be basically all over the UK!
Tyler: Simpa, it has been great to have you here. Whenever we film, I get like this – my eye as I was listening, it was hitting me – just wave after wave of the bongs…
This has been an ISMOKE Interview with Simpa Carter of Durham City Cannabis Club. You can find Simpa online at the places that he just talked about, and you can also find him in his weekly article for ISMOKE Magazine, so if you wanna check that out go to www.ismokemag.co.uk – I also wanna thank our Patrons who help make ISMOKE possible, and if you want to find out how you can support the channel head over to www.patreon.com/ismoke.
I will be back with another interview very soon. Have a great day, have a great week. As always, thanks for watching, and keep toking.
Simpa: Peace!
You can also read the transcript for episode 2 featuring Simpa Carter here
Episode 3 – Clark French
Our third and final episode in this series features United Patients Alliance Founder and Director Clark French.
Clark is somebody who we’ve known for a number of years in this industry. He set up the UPA in 2014 and helps raise awareness for MS and wider medical benefits of cannabis in the UK.
Clark has featured on a number of mainstream news and media outlets talking about the medical benefits of cannabis and how it personally helps him to live a better life, by helping with the symptoms of his MS.
In this episode, we wanted to talk to Clark about his passions, his work with the UPA and his insight into medical cannabis in the UK.
Clark: The thing is I also need to take this time to medicate to because of travelling and all that stuff
Tyler: That’s fine mate.. Now it is recording
Welcome to another episode of ISMOKE Interviews with me your host Tyler Green. Today I have with me Clark French.
Clark is somebody that I have known for a number of years since you first wrote for ISMOKE back in 2011.
Clark is the founder of the United Patients Alliance and this is an organization of patients in the UK doing a lot for the UK medical cannabis campaign so today I wanted to sit down with Clark and to give our watchers a bit of an insight into you, what you’re doing and what you enjoy.
Usually with the interviews I say to people medicate after a few questions, we’ll do a little bit, we’ll get stoned, we’ll continue. Obviously, you’re a medical patient, so you’re somebody that would potentially need to medicate. I don’t want to hold you back, so just a clear run whenever you feel like it during this conversation hit whatever you want. We’ve got some different strains which we’ll go through, so feel free mate.
Where are you from originally and where do you live now?
Clark: So I was born in Slough, I lived in Slough until I was about 6, and then I moved to Reading and lived there until I was 28 and then I moved to Brighton. So I am now a Brighton resident.
Tyler: How is the cannabis scene down in Brighton?
Clark: Yeah I mean, obviously we have Brighton Cannabis Club in Brighton and Brighton is also the home of the United Patients Alliance so you have two very active organisations both within the City.
And generally Brighton is quite liberal when it comes to many many things – it had a Green council for a while, it has a Green MP. And the Green Party are pro-cannabis.
At the same time, you know, we did have some problems at Green Pride, some people did get cautioned. So it isn’t completely safe, there is still prohibition, at large you have to be careful. It’s a balancing act, but I think as far as the UK goes it’s a great place to live.
Tyler: Did you go to university?
Clark: Yeah – well my mum has MS, so I wanted to kind of stay around locally to look after her a bit and stay with the family kind of thing.
So I went to Reading University. In the end, I decided to move all the way down to Brighton from Berkshire, but I think it was time for me to kind of make my own stand and go somewhere and do something for me, so that’s why I did it.
Tyler: And what did you study when you were at University?
Clark: Ancient History and Archeology
Tyler: I studied History! We’ll probably have a tiny bit of crossover, probably not much.
Out from University did you go into a career after, or did you go straight into founding the United Patients Alliance?
Clark: Well, unfortunately, I’m not in a position to work a lot of the time. I have a very limited energy capacity, I have a lot of pain, a lot of spasms, a lot of problems that basically mean I’m not going to be employable in a regular job, so, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go into work at all, I was really ill.
I was very active before as well, so I did my degree. I was in a band as well, so I was in a Metal band, I was the vocalist. I loved it.
Tyler: Wicked
Clark: It was a lot of fun. And then I also promoted live music. So I put on a lot of gigs, a lot of shows. And I got a lot of experience with putting on events which is what came in useful when it came to cannabis activism because you know, I’ve put on hundreds of events in terms of putting on bands.
Unfortunately, my band said: “Diagnosed with MS? You’re no longer suitable for the role”
Tyler: And did you have a lot of symptoms at this stage?
Clark: I had a lot of symptoms. We were in the final stages of recording our debut album. I was due into the studio quite a lot, and I had to cancel quite a few of those dates because I was too sick to be able to do it.
Tyler: So it must have been a tough few years with you after being diagnosed.
Clark: Yeah, it was difficult.
Tyler: But you turned that into such a positive by setting up the United Patients Alliance – when did you set that up?
Clark: That was in 2014 – so there was a few years of activism with a few different organisations to kind of learn about it, figure out what I was doing, figure out what was the right way that I wanted to campaign. And kind of go my separate way and do my own thing.
Tyler: The United Patients Alliance that you set up in 2014..is that all made up of patients?
Clark: Not everyone is a patient, but most people identify with consuming cannabis as medicine, or have a family member or close friend that do. So patients and carers, basically.
Tyler: So people that are either suffering or affected by it, or empathise with people like people who care about people and want to see people have access to the best medicine – they are the sorts of people that you have in the organization.
Clark: yeah, definitely.
Tyler: What have we got here, what is the strain?
Clark: Erm, some Glueberry O.G. [2th Prize Indica, Home Grown Cup Netherlands 2017] – it’s a Dutch Passion strain, one of their new strains.
Tyler: I’ve seen a photo. I’ve never tried it, and I’m looking forward to dabbing some. I actually haven’t done a dab for a while, guys.
I have with me the e-nail on the Jaxx Recycler. See you on the other side Clark!
Clark: Enjoy
Tyler: Oh – I’m getting that taste. Really Clean.
Clark: Yeah it is.
Tyler: So I’m getting.. Is it like a Gorilla Glue-y sort of? Like erm… It’s difficult to describe the Gorilla Glue flavour. Gorilla Glue but it’s a little bit sweeter, it’s got a little bit more flavour than the GG has I think.
Clark: It’s the Blueberry in it. I think mostly it’s blueberry dominant
Tyler: And it’s got a very clean cannabis taste to me, the Gorilla Glue. And that captures that. But, like you say, more fruity, more sweet. Really Nice man!
Clark: I think I might have one as well.
Tyler: How does dabbing compare to vaping or smoking, in terms of using it medicinally?
Clark: Dabbing is great because of the amount you can get into your system like that [clicks fingers].
With my Mighty, or with a handheld vaporiser – to get the amount that’s in there, you have to have like a good go on it. Whereas when you have a dab, especially on an e-nail like – bang, done, to the lungs, to the bloodstream, to where it needs to go, done. You don’t have to wait. So I think it’s great because of that. I think it’s one of the most medicinal ways to consume cannabis, definitely.
[Clark hits dab]
Tyler: And how fast do you feel it acting?
Clark: Instant – it’s like as soon as I exhale
Tyler: So even before the high?
Clark: Yeah – my legs are so much less tighter than they just were.
Tyler: I’m not a patient, so I think of the high as the medicine. But it’s not, necessarily the medicine is it?
Clark: Well, the difference is that maybe you and I have different endocannabinoid system makeups.
There’s a study that I’ve read that showed that the endocannabinoid system for people in chronic pain will create more cb1 and cb2 receptors in the areas that the person is in pain. Thus the cannabinoids directly go and help the places that they are needed.
So it’s not necessarily getting me as high as it would for you, because it’s going to different places in my body.
Tyler: Can you give us an overview of the sort of conditions that some your members are treating themselves with using cannabis?
Clark: I couldn’t possibly tell you every single condition because I can’t remember all of the names, like medical names aren’t something that stays in my brain in general.
All of the conditions that you would associate cannabis helping with, we have patients that represent that. There are quite a large proportion MS patients like myself. I think that’s largely due to more MS awareness around the therapeutic use of cannabinoids. So I think that people with MS feel more comfortable and confident in talking about it than others necessarily.
We’ve also got anxiety patients, depression patients as well. Faye – she has arthritis. Alex Fraser’s got Crohn’s Disease. We’ve had lots of different patients with cancer – some of them unfortunately not with us anymore like Mike Cutler.
We have Winston – who, you know Winston, he has liver problems, and he consumes cannabis, it helps him for that.
Kieron with epilepsy – so you know, people with epilepsy it really helps. He was having a seizure every other week. He started to consume cannabis, it was almost a year between seizures.
Over the years that we’ve been founded now, we’ve put on events and we try to empower patients to feel comfortable in telling their stories. Because when you’ve been through quite a lot, and you’ve had like a really tough time in life, it can be really empowering to just stand up in front of people and say “you know what, this is me, this is my story – it’s pretty shit – but with your help I can get through”.
And to have other people relate to that, it’s really powerful, and I think that a lot of people have found something through the UPA, including myself.
Diabetes as well – the diabetes patients, quite a few of them. Fibromyalgia, ME, COPD, PTSD – as I said, there’s more and more and more and more… but I can’t remember them all.
Tyler: You mentioned that a larger proportion perhaps are represented by MS patients because of the increased awareness now – you just had the biggest MS charity come out and say that cannabis should be OK.
Clark: Yeah, and I think that it’s really important to recognise where and why this has happened. We’ve had that because we’ve had people like Lesley Gibson THC4MS and Biz Ival who really went a long way to get the message out there that cannabis was medicine for them.
So because of those people who have had that courage, others are more likely to talk about it. And the ball keeps going and going and going so that’s what I really wanted to try and do with the UPA was inspire others to do similar things to what I’ve done because it can help – the more people that do it, the more awareness that is spread, the more people that understand cannabis is medicine, the more people that feel comfortable talking about it. And it goes on, and it gets bigger and it gets bigger and it gets bigger. Really wanted to help other people on their kind of journeys and help them get into the media and really push that message out there, and I think we’ve been really successful with that.
Tyler: I would say that you guys are masters of the press because you actually achieve what most of the cannabis campaign doesn’t which is featuring on the major news channels. I notice that whenever Sky News do anything about cannabis, they must give you a call?
Clark: Not all of the time, but quite a lot of the time. I think I’ve been on Sky 5 times.
Tyler: You’re seen as an authoritative figure for medical cannabis in the UK and it’s so important to have that and to have someone like yourself who’s got a story to tell, knows your facts, knows the background, does the research, keeps up to date with everything and helps people.
So it’s inspiring to other people within the campaign. What’s been your top interview experience so far?
Clark: I think one of the best – I’m not sure it’s available anymore – but it has to be the 4thought episode that I did.
Channel 4 used to do a programme called 4Thought and it was on after the Channel 4 news every night. And they just gave 3-and-a-half minutes to talk about a subject. And I just got to talk about cannabis, talk about how it helped me. I went there in my suit, feeling like I was making a difference. It was the first time that I got such a massive positive response.
Tyler: I think I might have even seen that back in the day, I think you might have showed it to me because I do remember.
Clark: Yeah, I think it was roughly around the time we started to talk, it was about 3 or 4 months after I did that article for you, something like that.
Tyler: I was still Nuff Said back then…
Clark: Yes you were!
Tyler: This is my video confession..It was me guys [both laughing]
Tyler: You’ve always been open, because of your condition and-…
Clark: I think I’ve always just been open. Honestly, I don’t think its because I have MS that I’ve been open. Because when did I first ever post a picture of me smoking a joint on facebook? All the way back in 2007
Tyler: Ten years ago
Clark: I’ve always just been I am who I am – if you don’t like it, well, I’m a big person, I’m not trying to harm anyone, not trying to hurt anybody, if you can’t see that, then whatever. I’ve just always been like that.
I never used to shout about it like I do now – this is my calling in life., you know. I don’t know what I believe in terms of religion, I’d say I’m agnostic right, but, sometimes there’s like just this little feeling that you go “do you know what, I’ve been put here for a reason” and that’s what cannabis activism does for me, it makes me realise that I’m here to try my best to make a difference.
Tyler: Have you faced any challenges from being so open about your cannabis consumption?
Clark: I got kicked out of my old place because of the smell of cannabis basically, unfortunately. I was living above a disability health centre, a disability care centre that sent carers out into the community. And I went and I told them who I was – I didn’t tell them about the activism – I just said you know I’m Clark, I’m your neighbour, I’m upstairs, I have MS.
But then they just complained to my landlord about the smell. And the landlord got wary. And then they complained again and then I went and spoke to them and then literally the same day they were knocking on my door like “NO, it stinks”. And I was putting on Incense as well. So I tried really hard to cover the smell, but when you’ve gotta medicate, you’ve gotta medicate. You kind of think that people who are working at a disability care centre who are looking after disabled people would probably understand that someone in pain might want to not be in so much pain – but obviously not! But that led to me trying to find a new place. And the day I was due to move in, the agent said “oh no, the landlord has just suddenly pulled the plug and has just suddenly said no for no apparent reason”.
And just thinking about it, what could that be? Like he wouldn’t give a reason, wouldn’t say anything, had my name, what’s he done? I think he’s googled me.
Tyler: I’ve actually been in a similar situation, I’ve also been kicked out of somewhere for smoking. But I told the landlord before I moved in that I smoke weed, and then I smoked on the balcony. But then he had an issue with the amount of weed that I smoke, which has been a continuing issue since I started cannabis consumption.
ISMOKE Your Way
Tyler: So this is a section I like to call ISMOKE your way – Clark has rolled a joint. What’s in the joint Clark?
Clark: Girl Scout Cookies
Tyler: Nice! I love that strain. You’re not always a smoker.
Clark: No
Tyler: And one of my questions was going to be: do you smoke? But obviously, you do
Clark: Yes I do
Tyler: So, when did you start vaping, and what got you into vaping over smoking?
Clark: First and foremost, I think it’s important to say I stopped smoking tobacco. So when I was diagnosed with MS I felt like, you know, tobacco is pretty bad. I’m sick anyway, I don’t really want to be risking all the other illnesses that potentially go along with that, so I’ll knock that all on the head. I smoked pure for a long time, and then I found dabs, basically. And then between dabs and the Mighty, I probably smoke about 20-30% of the time now, so mostly vaporise, mostly dab and Mighty.
Tyler (smoking joint): That tastes good
Clark: Yeah – the taste is good. When it comes to strains like this, you can still get the really nice flavour from the smoke but a lot of the time now its way more pleasant to vaporise just because you get – it just tastes nicer.
Tyler: You’re always going to get the better taste vaping, I concede that point. But what I like about smoking is the power. With vaping it feels – I really like it, and I think it’s important to stress that it’s the safest way to consume. Definitely vape other smoking.
Clark: Definitely
Tyler: Definitely vape over smoking, if you don’t smoke – vape
Clark: Don’t start
Tyler: There’s no point
Clark: Just vape and dab
Tyler: Yeah, vape and dab is absolutely fine.
I feel like vaping is quite light.
Clark: I think without dabs I’m not sure I would be vaporizing as much, it’s definitely had a positive impact on my level of smoking and massively reduced it.
Tyler: What do non-medical patients not understand about the medical use of cannabis?
Clark: I think that we don’t get as high – I think that’s something that a lot of people don’t understand. They think – “Oh you’ve just smoked that massive joint, or had that massive dab – you must be smashed”. And actually no, you’re not, you’re just taking it back to normal – to probably even below normal actually for standard people – but you’re just taking away some of those symptoms, some of those problems and kind of getting a little bit from it.
And I think that people don’t understand the necessity as well because medical cannabis isn’t just like for fun. Although it is fun, it is so about wellness and being happy, and being healthy and being comfortable.
Tyler: This is something you’re gonna love – the user vs. consumer debate.
Clark: Yeah
Tyler: I’ve actually come round to your way of thinking recently
Clark: You would agree?
Tyler: I would agree that consumer is better terminology to use than user.
Clark: I’m pleased about that
Tyler: So my question is – perhaps a bit of a leading question – are there any other cannabis terms that have been adopted that annoy you?
Clark: When people say marijuana that annoys me a bit, I just feel like it’s unscientific and it has mild – well not mildly – very racist undertones from America
Tyler: It’s propaganda – it’s a hangover
Clark: Exactly – say cannabis, so everyone knows it’s cannabis. It’s linked to hemp, it’s the same thing like, I just really feel like that’s the scientific name – it is cannabis, so let’s call it cannabis.
Tyler: I feel like that about “skunk”
Clark: Yeah – skunk is ridiculous.
Tyler: It’s bang on – what you said about marijuana – skunk is like that, 2.0
Clark: Go to a dispensary in California, right. And you look at the test results – 75-80% of the strains that are in medical marijuana – see, marijuana, I just said it – but that’s what they call it there, so…
Tyler: It’s the name of it!
Clark: It’s all high in THC
Tyler: That is the medicinal aspect… One of them
Clark: And if Peter Hitchens or Theresa May, or any of these other skunk idiots who think that cannabis is bad because it makes people mad, I think should go and see this because actually it is exactly what they are saying is causing people psychosis and schizophrenia over here. Where are all the psychosis and schizophrenia patients in California, in Colorado, in Washington State, in all of the places that have legalised and regulate medical cannabis because believe me if the DEA had that, if they had proven cases where cannabis caused psychosis and schizophrenia that would be all over the American media, because they love to demonise cannabis as well.
Tyler: It’s still federally illegal so they’d still be looking for the excuses
Clark: Exactly – it’s some form of weird British – it’s uniquely British. Skunk madness is uniquely British.
Tyler: It is!
Cottonmouth Quencher
Tyler: This section is called The Cottonmouth Quencher and we are enjoying a nice cup of tea.
Do you find better results from Indica or Sativa?
Clark: Depends what time of day it is. Indica more than Sativa, but I don’t necessarily want to smoke or consume an indica as soon as I wake up in the mornings. I need both. I think that’s something that people also need to be aware of, the difference that different strains can have.
Tyler: What country have you had the best weed in, would you say, out of all the places that you’ve travelled?
Clark: Well, it has to be America.
Tyler: Do you think that’s because of regulation?
Clark: I think it’s because of regulation. But I also have to say that a lot of the UK cannabis is a good standard nowadays. It’s getting much better now – not for everyone. But I think you can get as good cannabis in the UK now as you can in America, but it’s much rarer, and much harder to come by. So it’s like…
Tyler: You’ve got to know the right people, and unfortunately due to prohibition a lot of people don’t have that luxury.
Clark: Yeah.
Tyler: so I’ve got some Afghani..
Clark: Purple Afghani
Tyler: Purple Afghani
Clark: Purple Kush is an Afghan landrace and an Afghan landrace, so it’s afghan.
Tyler: It smells purple.
Clark: It does! That’s the exact the way to describe it – crazy isn’t it?
Tyler: It smells like..almost like.. Does it smell like a palma violet?
Clark: Almost.. Yeah almost.
Tyler: I want to review this man, is this the only bud that you’ve got?
Clark: Well, these are the only two that I’ve got, unfortunately.
Tyler: That’s alright – we’ll do it next time!
Quickfire Round
Tyler: Let’s do a quickfire round then Clark and just answer these with the first thing that comes to mind. What is your favourite colour?
Clark: Purple [laughss]
Tyler: Name someone alive or dead that you’d love to smoke with.
Clark: My stepfather who passed away when I was 11, because he consumed cannabis around me – well, I caught him – he tried to get away with it but I caught him. And you know, it would be great to share a joint with him and be like “Try these Girl Scout Cookies”
Tyler: That’s powerful man..
What’s your favourite type of fish?
Clark: Erm.. I don’t know, I’ve never thought of that before
Tyler: Name a fish!
[Clark Pauses]
Can you not name one fish?
[Laughing]
Clark: I can see them, but I cant think of their names
Tyler: Like a starfish, or like a shark?
Clark: I guess I thought of shark but then I thought is that specific?
Tyler: Not specific enough?
Clark: I definitely thought shark..but then I don’t really like sharks, so I didn’t want to say shark. [both laughing]
Tyler: Movie, or TV series?
Clark: Top Buzzer – it’s a 2003-2004 on MTV, I think you can get it on Amazon or eBay. So it’s these guys that share a flat and smoke cannabis together and have good times – there’s some crazy things that go on. Prohibition happens, and some stuff goes wrong because of it, but it’s overall a good time. But not many people know of it, so really highly recommend that.
Tyler: What would your favourite Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans flavour be?
Clark: Sorry what?
Tyler: What would your favourite Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans flavour be?
Clark: I think watermelon
Tyler: Nice
Clark: Just cos it’s so refreshing.
Tyler: What’s your most used emoticon?
Clark: Probably smiley face
Tyler: Standard smiley face?
Clark: Yeah
Tyler: What’s your favourite film?
Clark: I’ve thought about this, and I think I have to say – only because I watched it when I was younger and I loved it then – Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. And I don’t tend to like that many action films or bloody or shooting people kind of films like it’s not really my thing. But there’s just something about that film that I just love it’s just all of the lines and you know just memorizing – “We grow copious amounts of weed yeah and you turn up on our doorstep with a wasted girl and a bag of fertilizer? You’re not your average horti-fucking-culturalist”
Tyler: Chill Winston.. [Laughing]
Tyler: Amsterdam or Barcelona?
Clark: Barcelona, easy choice.
Tyler: Barcelona or the US?
Clark: US, easy choice
Tyler: US, or the UK?
Clark: US, easy choice. (Laughs) Why am I still here?
Tyler: That is your winner!
Clark: But we can make it happen here. And we are making it happen here so it’s only a matter of time. I think it’s important that we all do what we can.
Tyler: It’s a when, not an if – we’re gonna get legalisation, we need to fight for it. This will be remembered, it’s is important guys. We need legal access to cannabis for medical patients and we need it for recreational consumers and everything in between – people that use it to enhance their lives spiritually – whatever, like it should be your choice.
Clark: In my opinion, cannabis has vast medicinal benefits right? So even though you say “I’m not a medical patient” really, if you use it for a headache or to relax after work or instead of alcohol – you know, really, that is a benefit to your life. So actually, what is recreation anyway? It’s doing something to enhance your life.
Tyler: So the other founding members and people within the UPA to shout-out – so Jon Liebling, Winston Matthews as well – who else?
Clark: Jon Liebling, Faye Jones, Abi, Winston, Chris, Mike, Kieran…
Tyler: So many important people doing wonderful things for the medical cannabis campaign in the UK. So guys, if you want to check out the United Patients head over to
Clark: www.upalliance.org
Tyler: And I’ll put a link in the description, and yeah – check them out at one of their events soon. But it’s been great having you here, really good chatting to you, getting a bit of insight into you, what you’re doing with the UPA, and yeah, just cannabis in general. So thank you very much for being here.
Clark: Thanks for having me mate.
Tyler: It’s been an absolute pleasure, and I’ll see you very soon. We’ve had fun.
Clark: Is this the most high you’ve ever been in an interview?
Tyler: Probably – well, no, I don’t think so
Clark: I think this might be the most high I’ve been in an interview.
Tyler: Nice
Clark: Or maybe not…
Tyler: You can’t get this high on Sky News
Clark: No. Eamonn Holmes wouldn’t have it.
[Laughing]
Tyler: If you enjoyed this one, hit that subscribe button and go and give the UPA’s Facebook page a like as well. Help them grow, and share the video – tell your friends about the medical benefits of cannabis. As always, thanks for watching, and keep toking.
